Playwright appeals for help to fund TV pilot in Worcester and Malvern

Playwright appeals for help to fund TV pilot in Worcester and Malvern

A STREET in Worcester is set to feature in a video for a song - and it could soon be the backdrop for a TV play too.

Mealcheapen Street is the location for the video of a Christmas song, created by Malvern playwright and actor Nick Wilkes.

Mr Wilkes is well known to local audiences for the 24 plays he had written and produced with his company Malvernbard in the last decade but has now made a departure from his usual art form.

He said: “A romantic speech that I was writing for a play turned into a lyric, which in turn became a Christmas song. We recorded it at the Old Smithy Studios in Kempsey, and filmed a video for it in Mealcheapen Street in Worcester and, in less than a month of releasing it online, over 22,000 people had seen it, more than have seen all of our plays put together.”

“Thoughts obviously turn to trying to reach this larger audience with our stage work, so we are going to film one of our plays for the small screen. As a television pilot episode if you will."

The project, called Movable Props, will be filmed in Worcester and Malvern, with some exteriors on the Welsh coast. The director, actors and production crew are all sourced locally, and filming will start at the end of February.

He said: “Given the exposure that the Christmas song and video gave us, it’s conceivable that we can bring a viewing audience of tens of thousands to see Malvern and Worcestershire in all it’s glory, not to mention the ongoing work locally for cast and crew. It could really put Malvern on the modern map.”

The production is already supported online with John Challis, Sue Holderness, Suzanne Shaw and Finty Williams all backing the campaign.

The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, has also hosted filming while Morgan has lent the project a car.

Mr Wilkes said: “Obviously filming is a pricey process, so we currently have a crowd-funding campaign in place to try and raise the £8,500 required to hire the filming equipment, and pay the cast, crew, and especially the editor. We are also seeking sponsorship locally from those we feel may like to help.”

To find out more, visit Malvernbard’s Kickstarter page or contact Nick at Malvernbard@me.com or 07971 535071.

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